Going Garbage & Recycling Implements “Go Run & Recycle” Initiative

Since the announcement of the Door County Half-Marathon last fall, runners from Door County and beyond have been running their soles out – literally – on treadmills, tracks, and roads, preparing for this challenging 13.1 mile race. But what can a runner do with their worn-out running shoes once they’ve gone the extra mile – and beyond?

A new initiative created by Going Garbage & Recycling and co-sponsored by the Peninsula Pulse and the Door County Half-Marathon, called “Go Run & Recycle,” allows runners to bring their worn-out running shoes and other sneakers to three separate drop-box locations in Door County. The drop-box locations are at Going Garbage & Recycling (10564 Old Stage Road, Sister Bay) and the Peninsula Pulse office (10331 Highway 42, Ephraim). Shoes will be collected in these two locations from Monday, March 25 through Saturday, May 10. The third drop-box will be placed at the starting and ending points of the Door County Half-Marathon in Peninsula State Park on Saturday, May 3.

Once collected, the shoes will be sent to Wipers Recycling, a recycling company based in Maplewood, Minnesota. Using a patented process, Wipers will grind up the shoes and turn them into a sorbent material for oil spill cleanup kits to be used around the world. Patty Gearin, the founder of Wipers Recycling, says that leather, rubber, and cotton do a wonderful job of absorbing oil if they are broken down into tiny pieces.

For more information about the “Go Run & Recycle” program, please contact Going Garbage & Recycling at 920.854.2114 or visit http://www.goinggarbage.com. For information about the Door County Half Marathon, please visit http://www.doorcountyhalfmarathon.com.